Employees at Voice of America (VOA) were placed on paid leave on Saturday, and funding for two U.S. news services that broadcast to authoritarian regimes was cut.
This happened one day after President Donald Trump signed an executive order that drastically reduced the operations of the government-funded media outlets’ parent organization and six other federal agencies.
Multiple VOA employees, who operate in over 50 languages worldwide, shared with media that they had received emails placing them on administrative leave with full pay and benefits “until otherwise notified.” The emails, sent by a human resources executive at the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the VOA’s parent agency, instructed employees not to enter work premises or access internal systems. The exact number of employees placed on leave remains unclear.
In addition, USAGM terminated funding for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which broadcasts to Eastern Europe, including Russia and Ukraine, and for Radio Free Asia, which broadcasts to China and North Korea. According to letters reviewed by Reuters, this move also affected the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB).
On its website, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty warned that the Russian government has declared it an “undesirable organization.” It cautioned readers in Russia and Russian-occupied Ukraine that sharing, liking, commenting, or saving its content could result in fines or imprisonment.
Trump’s decision followed his signing of an executive order on Friday, instructing USAGM and six other lesser-known agencies to reduce operations to the minimum required by law. Trump stated that this was necessary to shrink government bureaucracy.
The president, who had clashes with VOA during his first term, nominated former news anchor Kari Lake to be VOA’s director for his second term. Lake, a staunch Trump ally, has frequently accused mainstream media of having an anti-Trump bias. On Saturday, she posted a message on the social media platform X, saying that Trump’s order impacted USAGM and its outlets VOA and OCB. She urged employees to check their emails immediately.
While there is no definitive confirmation that VOA will be shut down permanently, the actions taken indicate a significant dismantling of its operations. The Trump administration’s moves have been criticized by many as undermining the U.S.’s role in promoting press freedom globally7. However, it remains to be seen whether these measures will lead to a permanent closure or if they are part of broader restructuring efforts within the federal bureaucracy.
The situation is fluid, and any permanent shutdown would likely depend on further actions by the administration and potential legal or legislative responses.
